Hey there all you Tri-County Pest Control fans, and welcome to 2018! For us, there is no better way to bring in the new year than with a staple of ours: Wacky Pest Wednesday. So, we invite you to join us today for our first Wacky Pest Wednesday of 2018, where we cover a fairly infamous pest: the rat.

Rats are possibly one of the pests that you may come across during these cold winter months. With their long, hairless tails and greasy fur, they can squeeze into a plethora of openings to get into your nice warm home, and can certainly wreak havoc in your pantry. If they can immediately open that airtight plastic container of cereal, you can certainly bet that they will gnaw through it—their teeth can grow up to 5 inches and have the power to chew through everything from lead to cinder blocks.

However, it is not entirely their fault that they are this way—they are simply looking for a place to stay. But by no means should you allow them to stay in your home, as they are not only playing nature’s game on “easy” mode by sneaking inside, but they are also harbingers of disease. Their claim to fame is the Bionic Plague (also known as the Black Death…you know, the one that wiped out just under a third of Europe in the 1300s), and some rats still carry the pathogens that can spread the disease. Now, the chances of contracting plague are fairly unlikely, but it is still possible that they can spread something like leptospirosis.

Sure, rats may have the ability to laugh (no, seriously, they do) but they are certainly no laughing matter. If you spot one in your home, any time of the year, be sure to give us a call right away. In no time, we will have it removed safely and humanely, and you will be well on your way to enjoy the winter wonderland that is January.